Just fired off another Letter To The Editor.

We all know that 'one way to stay cool' is by getting in the water. But I must say I was heartily dismayed at the picture and caption you ran in today's paper. The grandmother, shown with her back to the kids, walking away, is definitely not keeping watch. Yes, the kids are 'only' in a few inches of water. Remember the mantra: It only takes a few seconds! Too many grief-stricken parents have learned that hard lesson! 

I have a Designated Child Watcher necklace, and folks may think I'm overprotective. But over the years I have personally witnessed 3 (!) close calls! The first time, over 20 years ago, is still vivid in my mind. I was sitting on the edge of the public kiddie pool (maximum depth 18") in Kingman, watching my toddler splash around. At one point she lost her footing, and fell face down. But instead of regaining her feet (you'd think it would be instinctive!) she just lay there! In the few seconds it took me to stand up and race over, the lifeguard had already beaten me to her.

 

The second time was right after we'd just moved to Phoenix and had a pool for the first time. At a birthday party a non-swimmer (child of one of my husband's co-workers) was inching his way around the pool by holding onto the edge, and lost his grip. His parents were not watching him, but luckily another adult 'just happened' to see him sink beneath the water! 

The third time was at a 4th of July party in our backyard. A toddler had been having a great time jumping into the pool while wearing water wings, but her parent had removed them for lunch. Afterward, while that parent was momentarily distracted changing her infant brother's diaper, the toddler simply walked over to the pool and just jumped in. I was sitting on the edge of the pool maybe 6 feet away and saw the whole thing. But before I could get to her, my daughter (who was already in the pool) scooped her up from the bottom; she said the shocked little girl's eyes were 'the size of dinner plates'. 

While the children in the picture don't seem to be at much risk, I heartily believe you could have found a MUCH better picture to run in the paper, one where an adult is actually 'keeping watch'!